


Lasting Consequences

by peppermintpotts



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, M/M, Mpreg, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-08-09 22:41:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20125030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peppermintpotts/pseuds/peppermintpotts
Summary: The Accords are on the table and it's sign or retire. The team is divided but a enemy bent on revenge will make them rethink where allegiances lie and what is most important in the end.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Born straight out of twitter musings.

“Have you seen the news?” Rhodey’s voice is low and somber

Happiness falters quickly and for a moment Tony panics. Then he reminds him that if this were about Steve or the team, Rhodey wouldn’t tell him over the phone. As it stands, he’s been in his workshop all day and he hasn't heard a peep from anyone.

“I’m on my way.” Rhodey sys quickly before disconnecting.

Jarvis is already on task, bringing up floating screens of various news networks before Tony has a chance to ask. It’s about the Avengers. Tony takes a deep breath; Steve nor any of the others are dead but they probably wish they were among the casualties instead of this.

Smoke billows from the half-collapsed building as the camera pans down over the covered bodies of those not fortunate enough to escape the destruction. The chaotic scene is intercut with camera footage of Wanda sending a flaming ball into the nearest solid object which just happened to be a building with three hundred people in it. The count is at eighty-nine dead, but Tony expects that number will change. Wanda killed citizens of Lagos and the fallout from this will hit critical mass.

He’s is still watching when Rhodey arrives twenty minutes later. They sit in silence, watching the coverage that switches between updates and footage of the fight that took the team from the parking lot of a bio-facility, to the packed street of a local market to the building that now lay in ruin. He takes a sharp breath when Rumlow press the button with Steve standing mere inches from him. Wanda did what she has to do Tony will always be grateful for it but this choice will cost her.

“This is bad.” Rhodey whispers. Their phones have been going off non-stop since the news broke. Ross has already called a mandatory meeting for the Tuesday morning which is understandable but he's also going to be an asshole about it.

“Tones? What is that in your hand?”

Tony looks down at the pregnancy test still clutched firmly in his hand. He starts to explain though he figures it should be obvious.

_“Sir. Colonel. The quinjet is approaching.”_

Rhodey gives him a glance “Congratulations, I guess.”

Tony returns the shrug “Thank you, I think"

Steve doesn’t say anything when they step off the quinjet under a pre-dawn sky, he barely even looks at Tony. Everyone looks defeated, no one more than Wanda. She heads to her room immediately with Vision on her heels, speaking words of comfort and reassurance. Sam heads to the roof with Rhodey by his side, arm slung around his shoulders. Natasha, he saw for a moment before she disappeared to her little nook, pointe shoes in hand.

He follows Steve into their room in silence. It still feels weird to think of it as “theirs”. Steve disappeared into the bathroom quickly and still without a word. Tony can hear the shower running, the steam rising from beneath the door.

To make himself busy he set out some clothes to Steve. It feels pointless and stupid in the face of what is happening, but he does it anyway. It makes him feel oddly domestic. Steve comes out almost an hour later and dresses without a word. Tony stays seated on the small sofa adjacent to the bed.

When Steve left to chase Rumlow, a little over a month ago Tony didn’t question why. Steve felt responsible for all of it. For Hydra resurfacing. For Rumlow. For the fall of Shield. For Bucky. For many things he had no control over. Some nights, on the rarer moments Steve felt like talking he would just let him vent, listening with an open ear and a reassuring word if needed. Steve had sacrificed his life trying to stop Hydra and it had to be a kick in the teeth to know that they flourished in the very same organization that was meant to fight them.

Tony had been plagued by his own nightmares the last two weeks, not unusual when Steve was away for prolonged periods, but it had begun to mess with him in ways a phone call couldn’t fix. Only to wake up feeling sicker than a dog. He couldn’t say what it was about how they fit together that chased the nightmares away. On more than one occasion Steve had called him, looking as haggard as Tony felt, for something to chase the shakiness away . Some nights just a few stolen moments would do it, others required they talk until the sun rose on either one of the corners of their world.

“I should have seen it sooner.” Steve lies back on the bed. “I should have been me.”

Tony lays down beside him, taking Steve’s hand from where it lay on his chest. He doesn’t know what to say so he just lies beside the man he loves and hopes that’s enough.

_ _ _

Ross comes storming into the compound at nine-sharp, red-faced and ready to ship them all to the Raft. He screams about violations against international law, foreign dignitaries wanting the Avengers arrested, the lack of care for casualties. Tony only listens with half an ear more concerned about sending what aid he can to Lagos. Then Ross drops the big bomb, a stack of paper with Sokovia Accords written on the front. Tony eyes it for a moment and sighs, it was bound to happen. Since Ultron, since Johannesburg, since Sokovia he had heard rumblings of superhero legislation being in the works, Lagos just tipped the boat.

Secretary Ross is a formidable man, he’s also a grade A asshole and he's barely given them time to process the situation before he lists all the ways they've fucked up. A few times Steve turns back to look at him but Tony already knows they're going to be divided on this.

“People are dead, and someone has to answer for that.” Ross stern voice cuts through his thoughts. The man leaves with his aide scurrying out behind him.

He could tell Steve right now. Ross just left, the accords sit open on Steve's lap and Rhodey keeps giving him the look while simultaneously debating with Sam. Tony opts just to lie back as arguments take place overhead.

“How long before they lo-jack us like a bunch of common criminals?!!” Sam yells as he paces around the room.

“You're assuming the worst, Sam. People died but you still figure what we do should be above some type of review. 117 countries want to sign this thing and your attitude is I'm cool!”

“How long can you play both sides?”

“It’s not about sides. It’s about minimizing the risk to civilians when we fight!”

Natasha takes the empty spot beside Tony on the long couch. “Tony, you're being uncharacteristically non-hyper-verbal" She says.

He wants to say it’s because he’s nursing the beginning of a migraine and morning sickness has decided to make itself known right this second but he keeps that to himself.

Steve answers for him "It’s because he's already made up his mind."

He stands, nausea be damned. "Boy, you know me so well."

He walks toward their little kitchen area. All eyes are on him and he busies himself arranging things while he gathers his thoughts. It’s hard to say so perhaps it’s better to show them. “That’s Charles Spencer. I met his mom a few days ago at MIT. Computer engineering, 3.7 GPA and a floor-level gig at Intel planned for the fall. He could have done anything, Vegas, Dubai, Amsterdam but he chose to put some miles on his soul before he parked behind a desk. He’s a great kid…or he was. He was in Sokovia building sustainable housing for the poor and we – I – dropped a building on him while I was kicking ass.

“Tony…” Rhodey interjects

“No. Rhodey, what happened with Ultron is on me. Hell, I don’t even know if having laws like this in place would have stopped me but I think we all agree we never want a situation where we wonder if it could have been prevented.”

Wanda looks apologetically at him. Over the last two years they’ve become comfortable enough with one another but there’s still an uneasiness between them.

“Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don’t just give up.” Steve looks stricken

“Who said anything about giving up?”

“We are if we’re not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blame.”

“I’m sorry, Steve. That is dangerously arrogant. This isn't the United Nations we’re talking about. It’s not even the World Security Council. It’s not Shield, it’s not Hydra.”

“No but it’s run by people with agendas, and we know that agendas can change. The Avengers are supposed to be above that. They need to be.”

“I made that kind of decision when I shut down weapons manufacturing.”

Steve gives him a small smile “And that was your choice. You chose to do the right thing, we sign this and we lose our right to choose. We let other people decide what the Avengers should or shouldn’t do or worse where we can or can’t go. Who does that help? The safest hands are still our own.”

“If we don’t so this now it’s gonna be done to us later. That’s when things will get ugly.”

“You think they’ll come for me.” Wanda interjects.

“Maybe. Probably. It wouldn't be just you. We’d do everything we can to prevent that.” Tony says and she gives Tony a small smile.

Vision offers his opinion which pretty much means he’s going to sign. Natasha admits she agree with him and Tony would tease her about it if he had the energy. He chances a glance at Rhodey who has already made his stance abundantly clear. For lack of anything better and because a wave of nausea just hit he sits back down on the couch. When he tunes back in Steve is speaking directly to Vision.

“You’re saying this is our fault?”

“On the contrary, Captain. I’m speaking of causality. I’m saying the very existence of the Avengers invites challenge and oversight isn’t a notion that can be dismissed out of hand. As Mr. Stark said, we need boundaries or we’re no better than those that challenge us.”

“Maybe if we have one hand on the wheel we can still steer.” All eyes turn to Natasha. “We should read the terrain and something like this isn’t going to go away. Plus, you heard Ross, it’s sign or retire.”

“Didn’t you tell the US government to kiss your ass a couple of year ago?!” Sam counters

“I did and the blowback from that wasn’t like this. This is bigger than us and what we decide now will determine a lot of things.”

As Natasha and Sam verbally spar, Rhodey slides in next to Tony “You gonna tell him?”

“I don’t think that right now…”

“This conversation is going to get ugly. I suggest you get this in there.”

Sighing because he hates it when Rhodey is right he stands ups. "Steve, can I talk to you in private for a minute?"

"Don’t you think this is something that needs to be discussed with the team?" Steve's always earnest blue eyes stare up at him.

"This isn’t about the accords."

Steve brow furrows but he follows Tony into the hall, "I know you think we should sign but I'm not onboard with this. We're relinquishing our right to choose to be a hired goon squad. That's not what the Avengers are. What if there’s someplace we need to be and they don’t allow or worse yet what if they send us someplace we don’t need to go."

"Again, that not what I want to talk about.” Tony puts a hand up as Steve seems to be settling into a longer statement. “A lot has happened while you’ve been chasing Rumlow for the last month" He starts go on but Steve's phone buzzes. Steve’s brow furrows for a moment before a look of dread comes across his features.

"It’s Sharon. I need to take this, she’s with Peggy."

It doesn't take genius intellect to figure out what's happened. The way Steve's eyes lower, the way his shoulders deflate, the way his voice lowers to a hushed whisper. Tony backs away a bit, wanting to give Steve a little space and privacy.

After a few more agonizing seconds he hangs up. "It’s Peggy. She's gone."

"Steve. I’m sorry." He pulls him close. Steve sags a bit in his embrace, staying there for just a few seconds.

"Look, I know you wanted to talk but can it wait? I–I need to go."

“I'll be here when you get back.”

He lets him go. Anything he should say is trapped in this throat. He can’t drop this on him now, not when Steve looks like all the light has gone from the world. Sometimes Tony feels like he’s competing with the ghost of Steve's former life. Instead of letting himself go down that sad and frustrating pathTony heads back to the others. They’ve broken into smaller clusters which leaves Rhodey open to grab him by the arm and pull him aside. "Are you okay?"

"He left." Rhodey's face goes murderous. His hands ball into fists like he could beat Steve to a pulp, but he never raises his voice, "You told him you were pregnant, and he just left you standing there?"

"What?! No. I didn’t tell him."

"Why?"

"Sharon called, Peggy’s gone."

"Oh man. Jesus."

Natasha walks over slowly “Everything okay?”

“It’s Agent Carter, she passed away.” Rhodey informs her.

“How’s Steve?”

Tony shakes his head "He's flying to London for the funeral. He'll meet us in Vienna. After we get it all straight with the accords, I'll make an omelet and tell him." He says to Rhodey. Natasha eyes them both but doesn’t press the issue.

“I'm going to go to London for the funeral. He shouldn't be alone.” She says instead.

Her words sting, just a bit. It's not that he doesn't want to go but the foreign press tends to be a circus whenever he makes an appearance and this is about Steve saying farewell to Peggy, he doesn't want to distract from that.

“Take care of him.”

_ _ _

Vienna doesn't happen as planned. There's an explosion and people are dead. He, Rhodey and Natasha manage to get out only bruised. Agents and heavily armed people run back and forth as paramedics tend to the wounded. Pictures of the bomber, one James Barnes have already begun to circulate. Every time Tony seems to gain a spare moment someone or something clamors for his attention, he needs to call Steve.

Prince T'challa lost his father. The weight of that loss and being the new king sit on his shoulders, heavy. He sits a few feet across from them, staring at the ring that once belonged to his father. Natasha offers words but they don’t do much to dissuade the murderous intent in his eyes.

His phone buzzes; Steve's stoic but somehow frantic voice chimes in "Are you alright?"

"Yes. Rhodey, Nat and I are fine. We got lucky."

“How many?”

“Twelve confirmed, more injured.” Steve lets the silence hang between them

"Listen Steve. I know how much Barnes means to you and I’ll do everything I can to help him but you have need to sit this one out. If you get involved it will just make things worse for all of us and for him." He’s trying to keep emotion out of it. Steve is about to do something stupid. Tony wants to tell him it doesn’t have to be him, that the task force can handle Barnes but he already hears that resolve in Steve's voice.

“I have to go after him. I'm the one least likely to die trying. If he’s this far gone I have to be the one to handle him.”

"Or he could kill you like he almost did in Washington. You can't just - I can't lose the fa-" Tony stops himself. He can’t blurt it out like that, he won’t use their child like that. He can’t be selfish either. The past matters to Steve, Bucky matters.

The echo of sirens sounds a little too close to be coincidence. It shouldn’t surprise him that Steve is already here, maybe disappointed is the word. Things are about to go from bad to worse. Tony turns in a circle. There so much going on. All out in view, all in public. It’s a spectacle of death and carnage.

“Jarvis, you there?”

“Always, sir.”

“Run a check against all the intel we have on Barnes. Something doesn’t sit right. And Jarvis, be discreet.”

“Always, sir.”

_ _ _

Steve gets involved, he doesn’t stay away, Barnes is in custody, but Secretary Ross and CIA Ross are out for blood. Sharon spares a glance at Tony, rolling her eyes as CIA Ross rants on that Steve, Sam and T’challa should be in cells next to Barnes. Tony stifles a chuckle at King T’challa’s looks unfazed glare. His eyes shift over to Barnes and the containment cell, if looks could kill…

CIA Ross blabbers on as they follow him towards the command center. They are led to glass room where Secretary Ross is waiting. “Rogers. Stark. The rest of you can wait outside.” He looks pretty put together for a man dealing with an international crisis, Steve is less impressed as Secretary Ross rounds the conference table like a disappointed parent. He sits his fancy pen in the middle of the table. Steve to his credit, doesn’t even spare the man a glance.

“Captain, your options are limited. I told you that it was sign or retire. It’s time to make a decision” Ross glance at Tony before leaving the room to give them a moment. Just how many ways does Ross think he can tell him to put Steve in check, as if that were even possible. Tony hates being here, caught in the middle of two seemingly immovable objects. Over the last year, especially with Steve attempting to rebuild Shield, he found himself caught between Ross and Steve.

Tony takes the seat across the table. “If you sign everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours is legit. I can get Bucky into one of the best American psychiatric centers instead of him going to a Wakandan prison. This is the best solution for everyone.” Tony takes a deep breath, “I want you to know I heard what you said, I know you don’t want to compromise the Avengers or yourself. We need you, Steve.”

Tony's phone buzzes in his hand but he doesn't look at it.

Steve taps the pen against the table. “I’m not saying it’s impossible. There would have to be safeguards.”

“Of course. I have some of my own. We draft those up and we give them to Ross. He’s a hard-ass but I know we can get him to listen.”

“You actually read all 2000 pages of this.” Steve sounds flabbergasted, not that he should be, Tony did become an expert in thermo-nuclear astrophysics overnight

Tony smiles “One of the positives to an eight hour flight.” Tony’s hand slips over his.

Ross must have sensed they were getting too cozy and returns looking as stern as ever. “Decisions have to made, Captain Rogers.”

“I was just telling him that once the PR fire is out we can amend some documents, make some contingencies.” Tony steps between the two men when Steve stands up, pen still twirling in his hand.

Ross nods. “Yes. If you sign we can have you reinstated, everything in the last 24 hours becomes part of a legitimate joint task, including the destruction of a portion of that tunnel. The only thing still in question is Maximoff’s tenure as an Avenger, that is yet to be determined.”

Steve stops before the pen touches paper “Wanda?”

Secretary Ross’ eyes darken. “She volunteered for Hydra, then took up with Ultron. I've had it on good authority that she is the one who set off the Hulk in Johannesburg. She has the power to mess with people’s minds and perceptions. Now she’s responsible for the deaths of one-hundred and two people in Lagos. To say she’s fortunate to have friends in high places is an understatement.” He looks at Tony as he says that last part. “She should never have been an Avenger and no country, much less the United States is going to grant a visa to a weapon of mass destruction that can’t decide where her allegiances are! If it weren’t for persuasive arguments she would be on the Raft at this moment.”

“Wanda isn’t a weapon. She’s young, she’s made some mistakes but she’s not dangerous.”

“The bodies in Lagos beg to differ!”

“It was an accident. She was trying to stop Rumlow from killing me!”

“Killing others in the process! That can’t be overlooked, accident or not. Those people are still dead, and someone must answer for that, Captain!”

All eyes outside the room are one them now with Ross and Steve standing practically chest to chest. Natasha and Sharon eye the spectacle, looking a cross between proud, amused and concerned. Tony grabs Steve arm, ignoring how foolish they must look with him pulling against the bulk of Steve’s weight. Thankfully Steve spares him the embarrassment and allows himself to be led from the room. Since he cares about prying eyes and ears Tony leads them to an office at the far end of the hall. Steve takes a few calming deep breaths, pacing back and forth. "I had to protect him, Tony."

"I know you did.”

“I know you don’t agree with me on all of this."

“You said together was how we would beat what comes, I still believe that. Even if we don’t agree on how.”

Steve stares at him for a moment. It’s hard to describe what he feels in those few seconds, but everything pulls into sharp focus even as Tony keeps talking.

“You can’t get into a public screaming match with the Secretary of State. This is going to be messy, Ross is not backing down and King T'challa is out for blood. First we need to – " Steve cuts him off with a kiss.

It’s hard but slow, and immediately erases all thoughts from his mind. Steve pulls him close and they stay in each other's embrace, Tony with his head resting on Steve's shoulder. Steve takes several breaths in and out. "I've wanted to do that since we got back, everything just got away from me." Steve pulls him in tighter.

Tony sighs against him. Now is the perfect moment. “When I heard about the bombing I swear my heart stopped. You were in there.”

"I have to tell you something." His phone buzzes again but he won’t let anything interrupt this moment. He sits his phone on the desk and goes for the picture in his pocket. Steve stares at it for a moment then his eyes go wide, and he gets it.

He looks from the picture, to Tony's face then back at the picture and finally at Tony again. "You? You and me?"

Tony smiles. “I had some extra time yesterday when we arrived in Vienna so I figured a picture was worth a thousand words.”

Steve pales a bit. "You tried to tell me at the compound. You tried, and I wasn’t listening."

"No. Steve it's okay." Tony cups his face. "Yes, I wanted to tell you, but you got the call about Peggy and I knew you needed time to grieve for her. Then this mess with the Accords and Barnes happened."

“How long?" Steve is beaming a little now

“I hadn’t been feeling well about as long as you were away chasing Rumlow, Doctor put me at about fifteen weeks. Morning sickness is evil. I don’t understand how anyone does it."

There's a knock and Natasha’s head pokes in "Barnes evaluation is about to start."

They both nod and follow her out. Secretary Ross has disappeared, but he won't have gone far.

"Are you and Steve done gazing into each other’s eyes?" Natasha quips.

"For the moment." Steve says, his eyes never leaving the monitor. "You meant what you said, that you'll help him."

Tony squeezes his hand. "I promise."

The psychologist goes through the usual checks. He queries about Bucky's time at Hydra, what buried memories have resurfaced and why he set off the bomb. Bucky maintains his innocence.

"It doesn’t make sense." Tony says aloud

Steve, Natasha, Sam and Sharon stare back at him "He’s been hiding since Shield fell but he pops up to bomb the Accords signing. Why?"

"Maybe his old Hydra protocol kicked in?" Nat offers.

"Could be but that doesn’t play. When he killed people it was covert, never something that looked like an assassination. If Steve was the target there were times before he could have come at you, more private, isolated moments than this.” His phone buzzes again but he’s on a roll. "But he attacks a public place, it’s too flashy. And for what purpose? If it’s Hydra then the accords give them the advantage.

"You think he was set up?" Steve sits forward now, alert and intrigued.

"I think there is something else here. Ross and Ross want a quick resolution, so they won’t dig." Tony adds

"If Steve was the target how could he know for sure Steve would be there. It doesn't add up." Sharon adds

"Maybe Steve wasn't the target. Maybe it’s someone else." Sam says

"That doesn't explain it. He'd have to have some ties to someone at the signing and everyone there was vetted or has been in the past. He couldn't know we'd all be there. The only Avenger that the press knew for sure would be here was Tony." Natasha says

All eyes turn to Tony. Steve is already standing, stoic with a hint of protective alpha male. Its kind of hot but Tony knows he needs them to focus right now, it’s not about him.

"We don't know that it's about me either. Obviously, there are easier ways than blowing up a room full of people and hoping I'm one of the casualties." His phone buzzes again. He fully intends to tell Ross to fuck off but it's not Ross calling, it's not a call at all.

He’s staring at the face of the man that signed in as the psychiatrist next the older and rounder face of the doctor that should be with Barnes. "We have a problem." Tony projects his phone feed onto one of the monitors.

Sam and Steve stare at the picture. "Then who the hell is that downstairs?"

Sharon takes the lead. "We need to find out"

Before they can leave the room, a power surge goes through the building and everything goes dark for a second. Emergency power comes on a moment later. The stop at a door to the stairwell

"We need to get down there now." Steve says. Sharon rattles off directions while Tony and Natasha scurry down the hall to join CIA Ross at the main command center.

"Please tell me you brought a suit"

Tony chuckles "Yes the one I'm currently wearing. I'm an active duty non-combatant."

"We're gonna need whatever you've -"

An explosion directly in front of them knocks them both back.


	2. Chapter 2

His heart begins to race when he feels that familiar pull.

**“Longing.”**

_No._

**“Rusted.”**

_No._

**“Furnace.”**

_No! Don’t!_

**“Daybreak.” **

_Please don’t…._

**“Seventeen.”**

_Please…_

**“Benign.”**

He pulls against his restraints._ If he can stop the words, he can stop what comes next. _

**“Homecoming.”**

The restraints give and he pounds the door, willing the glass to shatter. The man doesn’t stop the words.

**“One.”**

_NO!_

The hinges break and the door gives, falling with a crash so but the man doesn’t look afraid. Bucky looks in his eyes and sees resolve.

**“Freight Car.”**

That familiar and terrifying abyss is there, and he’s once again plunged into darkness.

Bucky drops to one knee and when he stands, he is the Winter Soldier once more.

“Soldier?”

“Ready to comply?”

Mission report. December 16th, 1991.

_ _ _

Steve and Sam stare up in the direction they just came. Smoke begins to billow into the stairway

"What the hell is going on?" Sam whispers

"We have to secure Bucky." Steve says it but part of him is screaming that he needs to be up there. He has no doubt that the others can handle themselves, but that knowledge does nothing to dissolve the worry circling in his gut. He takes one more forlorn look upward but moves down the stairs anyway. Tony told him and he was so happy, but he can’t let that cloud his judgment.

He and Sam round that last corner and they come a room full of downed guards. Sam checks a couple for signs of life and is thankful to find that most are still alive; Steve finds others that aren’t so lucky. The sealed door to the room is pried open when Steve and Sam reach it. The door to the containment that held Bucky is busted through as well. "Watch your back." Steve says over his shoulder to Sam, one hand out protectively against Sam’s chest.

Steve grabs the fake doctor by the jacket and slams him against the nearest wall. “Who are you? What do you want?”

The man smiles “To see an empire fall.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Sam says.

A blur to his right catches his eyes…

Barnes is fast, inhumanly so and Sam only just moves his head as a metal fist comes flying. The door frame behind his head bends inward easily at contact. Steve is there instantly, grabbing Barnes shoulder and catching a swift roundhouse kick to the chest that sends him flying back into the far wall. Barnes is too fast, all Sam can do is dodge, barely. One well timed hit to chest and Sam goes flying, hitting the wall hard enough to makes him see stars. When his vision stops being wobbly, he sees Steve’s hand cuffed around Bucky’s metal wrist. That punch should have crushed Sam’s ribcage and sternum but thanks to Steve he didn’t catch the full force. Bucky rounds on Steve, unhooking the hand on his arm and sending Steve into a flip. The recognition from earlier is gone, replaced by the stone-cold killer.

"Buck, you don’t want a do this."

"I have to go back. You’re in the way.” Bucky says monotone.

Steve puts up a good fight, blocking and dodging Bucky's jabs and punches but he's running out of room to maneuver. Steve sweeps Bucky’s leg but is caught with a boot to the face as Bucky goes down. They are matched in speed and skill. Steve gets in a few great shots, sending Bucky stumbling to the side or tumbling to the ground but this isn’t like their fight in D.C two years ago. Back then the Winter Soldier was faceless assassin, now this is Steve fighting his oldest friend in the world and he’s pulling his punches because of it.

Something gleams in Bucky's hand, a jagged piece of twisted metal. He swipes at Steve, once, twice and the third time proves to be the charm when Steve cries out as the weapon splits skin along his left forearm.

It’s all the Winter Soldier needs, and a well-placed kick sends Steve flying back into the elevator door and a single full force punch sends him into elevator shaft. He's out as soon as he hits the bottom.

**_ _ _ **

Natasha comes to first, head throbbing and ears ringing. She rolls onto her side, coughing as smoke and debris fill her mouth. Blinking repeatedly until her vision stops swimming, she tries to take in as much of the room as she can.

Bodies are strewn all around, some moving and other some so still she knows what that means. Tony lies on his side a few feet from her. Not trusting her legs just yet, she crawls over to him. His face is covered in soot, there is a deep gash across his temple and there is a steady growing blood patch coming from his side.

"Tony! Tony, I need you to open your eyes.” She shakes him, not too hard in case there are injuries she can’t see. “Come on Tony. I need you to open your eyes!"

A groan to her left pulls her attention She locks eyes with Sharon through the smoke in the air a few feet away. "What the hell is going on?!"

Natasha shrugs and turns her attention back to Tony. She touches the side of his neck, there's a pulse, her fingers come away wet with blood pooling beneath his head. Tony's eyes open slowly, his mouth moving to say something she can't understand. She leans in close, trying to hear over the persistent ringing in her ears "B-baby." He whispers taking the hand she’s resting on his chest and moving it down. She gets it.

“Tony. Hold on." Paramedics and armed guards enter the command center. Natasha is still shaking as two medics help her stand and another two work to stabilize Tony “He needs an ultrasound, there's a baby”. Her own medics guide her to a chair nearby, but she doesn't take her eyes off Tony. His eyes are closed, and his breath is ragged. She’s hoping for him to sit up and wave them off like he always does. They get him on a stretcher quickly and she waves off her own medics to follow.

Natasha holds Tony's hand as they move the stretcher to a waiting ambulance. She’s about to climb in with him when Sharon's voice comes over her com.

_"Agents requesting backup. Barnes is on out of containment."_

"What hospital are you taking him to?"

"There’s one a just a mile from here " The burlier paramedic answers in a thick accent.

Natasha rushes back inside as people run from the building in a panic. Sharon meets her at the door, and they race towards the lounge area where Barnes is currently kicking the ass of every person foolish enough to challenge him to a fight.

Barnes is on the offensive, tossing highly trained soldiers like rag dolls. Natasha pulls in closer to Sharon. “We need to get him down quick. If he gets the advantage, he’ll kill us both.” They are about to move when T’challa joins the fray, meeting Barnes blow for blow without missing a beat. Not that Natasha is surprised, from the moment they were introduced she got the impression he was a skilled as the rest of them.

A good hit sends T’challa staggering a bit and they lock eyes. She nods and he nods in understanding.

"On three" she mouths to Sharon. If they are going to take Barnes down the only way is together.

They both run towards him; Barnes is still as quick as she remembers but she’s always been faster. Normally she’d let her opponent tire themselves out but that won’t work with Barnes. She and T’challa duck and dodge, trying to give Sharon and angle to get in the syringe. T’challa catches one arm in a lock and that’s their opening.

They go in, Sharon goes low while Natasha goes high, wrapping her legs around Barnes neck at the same time Sharon takes his legs out from under him. They all go down hard, Barnes trying to pry Natasha off.

She catches his eye for a moment “You could at least recognize me.”

Sharon grabs one of Barnes flailing arm, slamming a magnetic cuff on. It’s barely keeping his arm in pinned down.

T’challa almost has the other wrist locked down when Barnes punches outward, catching Sharon in the chin and she falls back releasing his arm. Before Barnes can get a good grip on Natasha to throw her off Steve grabs his wrist and pins it to the floor.

Sam jumps into the mix, holding Bucky's legs as Sharon grabs the syringe from where is skid across the floor and jabs it into Barnes neck; Bucky stills beneath them instantly.

They all lay there in a breathless tangle of limbs.

“Jesus.” Sharon whispers.

“And you thought this was going to be boring.” Sam teases extending a hand to help Sharon to her feet.

"I just gave him enough sedative to put out four horses. I'd say we have 20 minutes to get him into another containment unit"

"What happened?!" Steve says as he hoists Bucky over his shoulder.

"Bomb went off in the west corridor, just outside the command center. Whoever planted it knew what they were doing" Sharon explains.

They all follow close as Steve carts Bucky to the nearest containment unit back in the main arrival area.

Once Bucky is locked in Steve's scans the room before turning to Natasha "Where's Tony?"

Sharon and Natasha shoot one another a concerned look. The color drains out of Steve's face. Natasha pulls him to the side. "He's on his way to the hospital. He took a hit, got knocked around a good bit. Took some shrapnel to the abdomen. He told me about the baby. The paramedics had two heartbeats when they left."

Steve relaxes at that a bit.

"Agent Carter." A squirming agent approaches. Sharon joins him off to the side. He whispers something, and Sharon's face goes white. She comes back to them

"What?" Steve asks

“The ambulance carrying Stark never made it to the hospital. Witnesses say that the ambulance was forced to pull over, a black van pulled up moments later and they moved Stark before blowing up the ambulance. The black van was seen heading east, only thing that way is the airport.

_ _ _

T’challa paces back and forth across the conference room. “What’s to say Barnes and this other man aren’t working together.”

“It’s possible but then he left without him.” Rhodey says.

Steve wasn’t used to feeling this helpless, not in a long time. Bucky was sedated downstairs, but the impostor had escaped and now Tony is missing.

Once, in some morbid form of pillow talk, did Tony tell him what it felt like waking in that cave. Coming back with the weight of a magnet sitting on his lungs. About the pain, the taste of metal, how terror sat in his chest. He never wanted Tony to feel that again. Tony could be reckless, impulsive and careless with his life, but Steve held hope that the baby would keep Tony from doing anything until they could find him.

_ _ _

Miles away a plane bound for an unknown destination sits, waiting to take off. Helmut Zemo looked over the prone form of one of the men that caused him so much pain. Tony Stark would pay for what he'd done to Sokovia. Unfortunately, the other part of the plan had fallen through. Barnes had failed to secure Rogers and the man would no doubt be on the warpath until he got his teammate back. That could work to his advantage. All he had to do was leave enough breadcrumbs for Rogers to follow, make it clear to come alone. Not that he expected Rogers would, too many loyal friends for them to allow him to do that. Still he would come all the same.

The information Barnes gave him was another piece of the puzzle. It was vital and would unlock the most vital part. The empire would fall.

Tony comes to in waves, mostly to pain and nausea at first. He groans, pain radiating up his side as he tries to turn over and finds resistance. He pulls at the straps around his wrists. "No need to struggle, Mr. Stark." A hand comes from the darkness to caress his forehead "We're going to take good care of you and your growing family."

There is a man in surgical gear to his left. Tony panics, vivid memories of the last time he awoke in captivity to impromptu surgery.

That same hand moved down settling on the small bump. "Family is such an important thing in this life. To lose it is to lose a part of yourself that can never be regained. To lose a child, even one you haven’t met, it will hollow you out." The voice coos. He still can’t see a face, but the accent is distinct, it reminds him of Wanda. So Sokovian most likely which would explain why he’s here.

"As I imagine losing you and this child will have a profound impact on Captain Rogers." The hand pressed down on the wound on his side, a small warning of things to come. "But first we have a trip to make."

_ _ _

They find Steve alone in a dark office. Nat wants to reassure him that they'll find Tony, but it's been almost eight hours and they have nothing. No Tony, no leads and no way to track either.

"If this is a pep talk..."

Rhodey raises her hands in surrender "No pep talk, I'm not even sure what I could say"

"I left him alone again. Something wasn’t right, I knew it and I still went for Bucky."

"Steve we were blindsided. We couldn't know the doctor was a fake or that Tony was a target any sooner than we did. It’s not all on you.

He nods and knows he’s right but that doesn’t make him feel any better. He thinks about the way Tony was beaming when he told him about the baby. How after so long he felt like he’d found home only to have it snatched away again. He couldn't lose Tony the way he lost Peggy or Bucky or the life he had before Hydra stole it away. He wouldn't let that happen again.

"There has to be something we're not seeing. All of the pieces are here, we're just not looking at them right."

"Okay so what are we missing."

"It’s like Tony said, we need to dig. He got a notification from Jarvis just before the bomb went off.”

Rhodey suddenly jumps to his feet and head back towards what’s left of the conference room. "Did anyone find Tony's phone."

Sharon smiles and pulls it out of her pocket "Figured he wouldn’t want Ross getting his hands on it."

"Good luck getting into it." Steve says

Rhodey taps a few keys and the phone lights up. Its a little dinged up but still works. They all look surprised at his ability "I went to MIT too and he’s my best friend."

"Tony and his damn fail-safe features." Steve smiles

"It’s also a direct line to Jarvis. We need him to hack the cameras."

In minutes they know that a man named Zemo orchestrated all of this. Of course, this isn’t public yet, Jarvis is making the same deductive leaps that Tony would make. Rhodey sits back, engrossed in all the data that Jarvis is gathering when Tony's phone rings. Part of him hopes its Tony, the more cynical part knows it couldn’t be that easy. He sits the phone in the middle of the table on speaker.

"I had hoped to meet you Captain Rogers, it is a shame I had to cut my time there short."

"Is this Zemo?"

Their mystery man laughs "Already unraveling the mystery. I hoped the Winter Solder didn't break too many of you."

"Nothing that can’t be mended, I'm happy to disappoint you."

"Captain, no need to cut so deep just yet, this has only just started."

"You think playing with the lives of others is a game."

"Not so long ago you gambled with lives and lost. Was Lagos so different?”

“I didn’t purposely endanger lives?”

“Didn’t you?” Zemo laughed again “You held a potentially deadly operation in the middle of a civilian population without the agreement of the government, what would you call that?”

Steve didn’t have an answer for that. “Where's Tony "

Zemo laughs and something about it set a chill up Steve spine. He asks again "Where is he?"

"He's resting Captain, quite comfortably. The first trimester can be quite taxing, and I need him sharp for when we reach our destination."

"Where are you taking him?"

"That is the mystery you must unravel on your own, Captain. Perhaps that is something Sergeant Barnes can help you with"

The line goes dead.

_ _ _

The first thing Tony can make out are voices. Not immediately recognizable as anyone he knows followed by a feeling that quickly reminds him he is not in safe hands.

"I think he's waking up again."

"Hit him again. We're still a couple of hours out and I don’t trust him to not try us."

Tony only feels the slight prick of pain in his arm for a moment before consciousness flees from him again.

_He dreams of Steve, of their baby and how she'll look. In his heart he knows its a girl. She'll have his dark hair and Steve's blue eyes. And every day she'll tell them how she wants to be an astronaut and if not that then veterinarian._

_"You know I'm coming after you right." Steve cups his face and places a chaste kiss on his lips._

_"I know. I'm not worried."_

_"Yes, you are. You're scared for this" Steve puts a hand on their baby._

_"They keep giving me drugs to make me sleep. No idea what's in them but I know they're giving me too much._

_“You have them worried, you're Iron Man.”_

_"He said he wouldn't hurt me or the baby but I don't buy that. This is about Sokovia. This is about what I did. I think they're going to kill me._

_"I'm not going to let that happen. Together, remember "_

_"I don't think we have that kind of time, Steve"_

_“I'm coming for you. We’re coming for you.”_

When Tony wakes this time its to grogginess and a splitting headache. He maneuvers himself into a sitting position slowly, the creak in the cot beneath him is almost deafening and only adds to the pain in his head. His legs almost fold the moment he tries to stand. The ground is freezing beneath his bare feet. His shirt sticks to him in places but his wounds have been cleaned, sutured and dressed. Fresh clothing has been laid out for him, all black complete with boots. Its just as well, the suit is done for. When he feels a little steadier, he undresses and redresses quickly because its freezing in here.

His head still hurts but he tries to push the nausea down. Much as he might not want to chance it and ignoring the fact, he has no idea where he is he going to have to find a way to escape. Thankfully the idiots didn’t take his watch.

Locks click and he finally gets a look at his captors. He's been abducted and held captive enough times to know neither is the man in charge. They cuff his hands, in front not behind thankfully, and shove him into the cold corridor.

This place is like cold storage, completely with grey walls and a thin sheet of ice where water has leaked through. This means water all around, so likely underground but its cold. An artic setting would explain what he's seeing

"Welcome, Mr. Stark.”

As they enter a vast room Tony takes it all in. These might be cryo tubes and there is something inside of each one.

"Welcome to where Hydra made their monsters." Zemo stands up from the command center and holds out his arms.

"And your great plan with them is what?"

Zemo laugh "Nothing. After seeing what the famed Winter Soldier could do, I wouldn't want any more of them in the world. Him, like them, like you, are what happens when power goes unchecked."

"This is about Sokovia. You lost someone." Tony feels that familiar panic rising in his chest.

Zemo presses a blade against his throat. “I lost everyone." Tony swallow thickly. As he inches closer the man's eyes appear black, cold and unrelenting.

"You killed those people just to get to me."

Zemo quirks a small smile. "You think I'm a monster. If I were truly a monster..." he trails the knife along Tony's throat "...I would have them strap you to a table..."

Down the knife goes until its pressing against his belly "...and I would cut this blessing you don't deserve right out of you. But I won't. Your suffering won't be quick " Tony feels the panic attack coming. "We have to leave Captain Rogers with the idea that he can save you. As I told you before, you and your baby are safe, for now. I would like you to sit here and watch this.

The burly man drags Tony to a smaller room “Perhaps the man coming to save you is not who you think he is."


	3. Chapter 3

As Sharon had estimated the drugs couldn't keep Bucky down for long. His dark eyes track Steve as he steps closer and closer to the containment unit. Zemo said that Bucky might help him track down Tony, if that was the case it was time to see just how much Bucky knew.

Steve doesn't want to press him too hard; Bucky is already looking worn out as is. Two years being free of Hydra control only to have that tenuous self control ripped from him, the last thing be wanted was to traumatize his friend any further.

"Steve?"

"Who am I talking to?"

Bucky laughs but it's far from joyful. "Your mom's name was Sarah. You used to wear newspaper in your shoes."

"Well you can't read that in a museum."

"And just like that everything is cool?" Sam says from the door as he’s keeps his distance.

Bucky eyes him for a moment then lets out a resigned sigh “I’m sorry” Bucky sighed. "What did I do? How many people did I hurt?”

"Enough." Sam says

“It wasn’t your fault.” Steve interjects quickly

"I knew this would happen. Everything Hydra put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the goddamn words."

"How did he know them? Is he Hydra."

Bucky shakes his head "I had specific handlers; he was never one of them. I don't know who he is"

Steve doesn't want to push but he must. "People are dead. The bombing, the setup, the second bombing, he did all that just to get you in a room for 10 minutes. I need you to do better than I don't know."

"He wanted to know about Siberia, where I was kept and a mission report on December 16th 1991."

"What's so important about Siberia?" Sam steps forward intrigue overruling self preservation

“I'm not the only winter soldier."

Sam and Steve share panicked look.

"How many of you are there?" Sam asks

Bucky shakes his head "Before the program was scrapped Hydra made five more. They, from what I remember, were less stable and harder to control. There was a man that ran the program, he was the one that always spoke the words." Bucky winces, closing his eyes for a long moment and taking a deep breath. Against better judgement Steve steps to the containment and unlocks it. Before stepping inside he opens up a bottle of water. He puts it to Bucky's lips who drinks quickly.

"Thank you." Bucky whispers

"So, the base is in Siberia? Do you remember how to get there." Steve takes a few steps back

"I remember everything." Bucky's voice cracks just a bit. "If I tell you where you have to promise me, you'll blow that hellhole off the face of the earth."

"That's a promise." Sam adds

"You'll be there to see it because you're coming with us."

"Hold on! Steve, can I talk to you for a second." Sam doesn't wait for an answer before pulling Steve into the corridor. "You wanna head into a death trap with him watching our six."

Steve sighs. "Yes"

"I know you want to get Tony back but who says this isn’t part of a larger trap. Then its us verse six winter soldiers, maybe more, in the middle of Siberia with no backup. That worries me. A couple of hours ago I was out cold, and you were at the bottom of an elevator shaft."

"He's on our side."

"Yes, right now. But what if they say whatever words trigger him. Plus, Tony's injured without armor, so how are we supposed to protect him and fight them off? We need a better plan than just going in guns blazing."

He knows Sam is right. He turns back to Bucky "Who were they?"

“Hydra's most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in Hydra history and that was before the serum. When he could get the under control, they were lethal."

"Are they all like you?

Bucky lets out a mirthless laugh "They're worse."

"Could the doctor control them?"

"Only just."

"These guys are a good bet for taking out the Avengers. He wants to see an empire fall."

"What the going rate for watching the Avengers fall and killing Tony Stark on the world stage?" Sam asks aloud "Or selling him to whomever might wants him for the highest bidder"

Christ! Steve hadn't considered that. Zemo wanted Tony dead but what if he decided it was soothing to his soul to sell Tony and the vast amounts of military knowledge he'd have. Not for the money but for the knowledge that his enemy would suffer.

Tony always seemed to have enemies crawling from some dark corner of the world. Somehow thinking of Tony as a prisoner, hidden in some place where they'd never find him scared him just as much as the idea of his death does.

"Ok. I'm all for this plan but how the hell do we get him out of here and find transpo to Siberia?"

"By asking for help."

Natasha and Sharon stand in the doorway.

Steve moves to Sharon. "You'd be committing treason by coming us."

Sharon shrugs and smiles as she hands Steve a keycard "This will get us past security. We head down to sub-basement 4, there an old tunnel, head east it comes out across the street from a parking garage. There's a white van in lot 3B."

"All your gear, including the bird costume -" She winks at Sam "- is waiting there."

_ _ _

The video has no sound, but Tony feels like he can hear everything. His father stumbles from the car, bleeding and disoriented but not drunk as Tony had always believed. Staggering until he dropped to his knees a foot or so from the car.

No real love was lost between them, that doesn’t mean he needed to see his face bashed in. Barnes drags Howard to his feet, pauses, maybe he recognizes him, but it doesn't last for more than a split second. Whatever memory comes, flees just as quickly as he delivers the killing blows.

Tony can hear the bones in Howard's face shattering. Barnes lets the body fall, stares at it before hoisting it up and placing Howard back in the driver's seat. He moves to the back of the car. Stopping at the trunk he's there for a moment, simply searching for something.

"Just take what you came for and go." Tony whispers. He knows his mother is about to die, that he's about to witness the moment that altered the course of his life and still he silently wishes for a different outcome. Barnes sets his package down. "Please don't." He whispers as if they can hear him, as if it will change anything.

Barnes face is emotionless, one hand in the car, wrapped around Maria Stark's throat. The slight movement means she’s struggling. He can hear that too, the sound of his mother's valiant but waning struggle to cling to life. It's over a few seconds later.

Only a couple of miles away, his younger self is in his workshop unaware if how his parents are dying and how everything is going to change.

Another memory flashes in his mind. He's only six, still not quite old enough to understand why his father seems to loathe him so much. His mother is crying while his father has locked himself in the study with his secrets and scotch.

She always loves his bots, they're his friends, they can be her friends too. He sits a box of tissues in the bots arms and sends it rolling into the room. Her sniffles stop and he hears a soft chuckle. From his hiding spot he sees her take the offered tissue and wipe her face.

He comes into the room slowly and she gives him the best half smile she can muster. She cups his face and kisses his forehead before pulling him close. "You sweet boy." She whispers into his hair.

Hands come down to rest on his shoulders pulling him from memories. For a moment he forgot he was zip-tied to this chair. Zemo circles around to face him. "I wonder if he knew. For two years I watched you grow closer to him, but he never involved you in his search for his friend. You had to wonder why? With all the technology you possess and all the favors he could ask he never asked for your help, it's strange.

Tony shakes his head. Steve didn't know, he would have told him. He needs to believe Steve would have told him.

Zemo puts hand on Tony's belly. "It makes you question everything. Even things you were so sure of." Tony breathes in and out. As much as he doesn't want to let Zemo get to him it hard to ignore the doubt settling in the pit of his stomach.

Zemo cups Tony's face. "He'll be here soon enough, and the truth will reveal itself."

At Zemo's signal another man steps up and frees his wrists. "Take him back to his room. Captain America will be joining us soon and he won't be alone. We need to be ready."

_ _ _

As promised, they come out of the tunnel across the street from the parking lot. Helicopters still fly overhead so they move quickly before they are spotted by anyone that might recognize them.

Steve stops short when they round the last corner. Rhodey is leaning against the van, staring at his watch. He looks up at then and cocks his head to the side. "Fifteen minutes. I'm disappointed. Especially with you." He looks pointedly at Nat

"Hey, I would have been out in less than 10 but I was moving with those unskilled in the art of covert affairs." Natasha shrugs as Steve, Sam and Bucky give her the evil eye.

Bucky snorts but doesn't say anything when Natasha cocks her head at him. 

"I would have told you, but you signed the accord -"

"You think my signature on a piece of paper would stop me when it comes to Tony..."

"I didn't want to put you in a compromising position."

Rhodey steps right into Steve's personal space "When it's Tony, I don't do sidelines. Understand, Captain?"

"Yes, sir. Colonel Rhodes."

There's no ill will. Steve knows the story of how Rhodes fought his superiors to keep searching the Afghan desert for Tony.

"I think we might need more people than this?" Natasha says as she pulls on the last of her gear

Steve shakes his head "We're going to have to make do. I don’t want to pull Wanda from the compound. Things are chaotic enough around her and I don’t want her in more trouble then she needs to be."

“So where are we headed.” Rhodey asks

"Siberia…here we come.”


End file.
